The breadth and depth of ICR’s ministry are remarkable. From countless articles and numerous books, to online education programs, long-running radio broadcasts, entertaining online videos, captivating DVD resources, robust scientific research, and hundreds of speaking engagements each year, it’s clear God uses ICR to contribute an incredible amount to the body of Kingdom work that glorifies our Creator, the Lord Jesus. I can only marvel at God’s hand on our ministry and humbly thank our supporters for partnering with us in the Lord’s work.
God’s financial provision for ICR through His people is not an insignificant thing. ICR has experienced times of plenty and seasons of leanness and need. But through it all, ICR has remained sensitive to the Lord’s leading by pursuing new opportunities when appropriate while continuing to distribute free publications like Acts & Facts and Days of Praise. Those who labor with us by sharing their financial resources will share in the eternal rewards of our work (1 Corinthians 3:7-8), and we look forward to a time of great rejoicing when the Lord reveals the eternal impact of our efforts for the cause of Christ.
ICR has a strong commitment to use those resources wisely. We do not go into debt or spend what we do not have. Moreover, we have resisted the urge to do too much, like pushing larger programs that require bigger budgets to support. Please don’t misunderstand me—large gifts are tremendously welcome additions to our ministry! Yet, we know such gifts are not possible for most. Consider the words of the Lord Jesus in Mark 12:41-44:
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Jesus was not impressed by the large sums of the rich because they gave “out of their abundance” and still had plenty left over; these gifts were not a sacrifice for them. Rather, Christ was so impressed by the widow’s quadrans—about one-fourth of a penny, worth a small fraction of an average daily wage—that He called His disciples over to point out this truth: God measures a gift not by its size but by the motive with which it is given and the amount left un-given. In God’s eyes, the widow’s two mites were far more valuable than all other gifts combined because she gave “all that she had, her whole livelihood.” This widow would likely go hungry until she earned more. Therefore, this example portrays one of the greatest examples of sacrificial giving in all of Scripture.
Perhaps some have been reluctant to give “too small” a gift, believing that small amounts cannot do much good for the Lord’s work. Nothing could be further from the truth! God is not interested in size but rather in motive and proportion. So for those who are currently receiving our material but have not partnered with us, please consider this: If only 10 percent of our subscribers gave $10 per month, the Lord would use them to increase ICR’s ministry budget by over one million dollars per year. And if 100 percent were able to give just $5 per month (we understand many cannot), our resources would more than double. The power of many “mites” does add up and can be a formidable force for the Lord’s work!
Considering the example of the poor widow, won’t you prayerfully consider joining us? Your help will make a difference for the cause of Christ.
* Mr. Morris is Director of Donor Relations at the Institute for Creation Research.
